Corrupted GRUB boot loader

[wbartling]

I installed BLAG Linux v9.0, with the GRUB boot loader option onto a Pentium4 Dell PC. It has a primary disk with Windows XP and a secondary disk for linux. After installing linux and rebooting, all I get is a black screen with the word GRUB on it and it accepts no commands and requires a ctrl-alt-del command to escape. There is no boot menu as I find on my other dual boot PC. I reloaded Linux several times with other GRUB options and even without the boot loader at all, and get the same result. I cannot even boot Windows anymore.

I tried to use the fdisk /mbr command to recover, but I cannot get a DOS prompt that accepts this command with the computer in its present state.

Pretty much, I am dead in the water. Is there a way to fix or replace the MBR from the install disk for BLAG? Or am I in a position to have to re-install Windows and start over?


Bill

[jebba]

If you are running 9k, lilo should still be an option in the installer. You could give that a spin.

If you are just getting "grub>" it means that your /boot partition can't be found so it can't load the other needed bits.

If you boot from a DOS/windoz CD/floppy, you can run the fdisk /mbr to overwrite the boot sector as well.

-Jeff

[slick50]

1>Method One - Boot from Installation CD
boot from the linux CD.
type this at the boot prompt:
linux rescue
use the ensuing rescue procedure to get to a command line, with your / mounted, say as /mnt/rescue
then say this:
chroot /mnt/rescue
now your / on your HDD is mounted as / and not /mnt/rescue (formerly, / was the root of the RAM drive your CD boot sets up.)
Now, type this:
/sbin/grub-install /dev/hda
now this
exit
exit
and reboot.
2> Method 2 - Boot from rescue floppy
once the floppy is booted, and you have logged in:
/sbin/grub-install /dev/hda
now reboot.